Developing sport for Indigenous women and girls

Canada and Australia share a mutual heritage on a number of fronts, with one of the greatest parallels being a shared colonial history, with government by white settler societies and cultures resulting in extensive exploitation and dispossession of Indigenous traditional lands and cultures. Colonization has ongoing effects, one of which is that Indigenous women’s involvement in sport and physical activity in both Canada and Australia has reduced over time. The chapter presents an exploration of the motivations, barriers, enablers and outcomes for Canadian and Australian Indigenous women and girls when they wish to participate in sport. Indigenous women and girls see many positive results in being physically active and engaging in sport, which provides them with opportunities to preserve culture, and to develop distinct identities as enablers and leaders. Government, sporting and community organisations can be proactive in facilitating Indigenous women’s efforts to overcome entrenched social, historical and health inequalities.